September 26, 2020 - Long Trail - Day 6 -Part 2

The Long Trail : Day 6 : Part 2 : 9/26/20 . The miles came fairly easy after the bear sighting. After a break or two at pristine mountain streams we were on our way up Killington Peak. . We hiked up the .2 mile side trail, or blue blaze as it is affectionately known on the AT, to the top of the Peak. We’d skipped this blue blaze on the AT because .2 is way too far to walk unless it’s a direct route to a hamburger. And I don’t regret skipping it back in 2016 because that .2 is STEEP! Like hand over foot, leaning your body weight forward kind of steep! At the top was access to water, trash cans, sinks and flushable toilets so it made it worth the arduous trip. . Our time up top was short lived because their were massive amounts of people and I was uncomfortable. It was for sure the largest group I had been around since Covid started. We left in a hurry, dodging people on our way. I was undoubtedly frustrated by the cavalier attitude of so many people gathered together. I tried to remind myself we’re all doing the best we can. . But for some reason I couldn’t get the frustrated thoughts out of my mind. I’m not responsible to bear the torch for every person on every issues! Why is that so hard for me to believe? Why can’t I just relax a little bit? This is one reason I find the woods so soothing, it’s peaceful, calm and simple. The problems I “need” to fix are far from my mind and I can simply enjoy being in the present moment. . Modern life is hard and full of complex issues. Can I get an “Amen”? But I am not the savior of the world, we can all collectively be thankful for that. The sooner I truly embrace that the better. I believe their is a savior, Jesus. He is loving, kind, understanding, gracious, merciful, and justice driven. He is the best listener and a soft place to land for the broken, marginalized, overlooked, and beat up. I know this is true because He’s been that for me. My version of savior comes with a lot more judgment, rage and cynicism. We all know we don’t need any more of that! . I worked to let go of my frustration on our way to camp. We tucked our giant @gossamergear Two into a tiny space. I’ll admit, I’ve been a little skeptical of this tent but it’s growing on me day by day thanks to its adaptable spirit in a less than ideal spot! It was time to sleep off the day, all the highs and lows, and look forward to a fresh day on the horizon.